Mogadishu: A Battleground for Press Freedom
June 13, 2025, in Mogadishu, Somalia – The Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) has issued a vehement condemnation following an audacious Thursday morning raid on Himilo Somali TV, a significant voice in the burgeoning landscape of privately-owned online television platforms in Mogadishu.
The raid unfolded in dramatic fashion when armed operatives from the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) stormed the station, ostensibly to quash an interview critical of the controversial federal electoral commission.
A vivid account from journalists present at the scene brings the event to life. According to them, at around 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, a convoy of fourteen armed NISA officers descended upon the Himilo Somali TV studio, strategically positioned on the bustling Maka Al-Mukarama Road. With military precision, eight officers infiltrated the building while six maintained a formidable stance at the entrance. This tactical maneuver created an atmosphere of sheer terror.
One can only imagine the tension inside the studio as journalists scrambled for safety, ultimately barricading themselves in an office, refusing to yield to the demands of the intruders. The NISA agents, undeterred, reached out to the station’s manager, absent at the time, pressing for the immediate deletion of an incriminating interview broadcast earlier that morning.
The interview in question, reviewed by SJS, featured a young man recounting a harrowing tale of abduction by individuals linked with the contentious electoral commission. His subsequent forced voter registration without consent was a narrative of powerlessness and defiance, epitomized when he symbolically tore up the registration documents in protest.
A senior manager at Himilo Somali TV confirmed that the NISA operatives demanded the young man’s contact details—a request the station flatly refused. Though the officers eventually retreated, they left with a chilling threat to pursue the television editor. As of this report’s publication, the controversial interview remains accessible online.
This raid is no isolated affair. It underscores a worrying pattern of aggressive actions targeting media platforms perceived as antagonistic towards the electoral commission. In November 2024, the commission’s members were appointed by the council of ministers. By December, Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan, a notable confidant of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, had assumed the role of chairman. His dual Somali-American citizenship has sparked fierce opposition from Puntland, Jubbaland, and other entities.
Consider the incident of May 5, 2025. NISA operatives raided the residence and media studio of journalists Bashir Ali Shire and Mohamed Omar Baakaay in Mogadishu’s Shibis district. Their crime? Casting light on the forced registration of “vulnerable women and youth.” This act of aggression followed closely after incendiary remarks by Farah Adani, Mogadishu’s Karaan district commissioner.
This alarming trajectory continued on May 28 when Turkish-trained Haramcad forces struck again in the Kaxda district, laying siege to journalists covering elder-led protests against voter registration exclusions. An hour-long detention ensued, as did threats, demands for equipment, and even firearm threats, with clan elders ultimately securing the journalists’ release.
And the stories multiply. On May 26, laborers were duped with job prospects, only to be confined and coerced into voting registration. Such encounters in Bakara Market saw journalists facing threats, their equipment seized—a narrative of intimidation recurrent in districts like Hodan and Dayniile.
Despite attempts, Abdikarin Ahmed Hassan was unreachable for comment on these escalating acts of intimidation. “The ongoing intimidation, raids, and threats against independent journalists and media outlets in Mogadishu who dare report critically on the disputed registration process represent a dangerous escalation in the crackdown on press freedom in Somalia,” declared Abdalle Mumin, Secretary General of SJS.
Mumin further emphasized, “Targeting journalists for exposing voter manipulation and misuse of power is flagrantly unlawful. It chips away at democratic values, silences the Somali people’s voices, and undermines public trust. We urge an immediate cessation of these attacks, accountability for the perpetrators, and an unfettered media eco-system.”
The indefatigable spirit of Somali journalists continues to serve as a beacon for truth and accountability—a testament to courage in a time of turmoil. In the chaotic rhythm of Mogadishu, one must ponder: How much longer can the voices of truth endure such relentless pressure?
